Introduction & The NS

PRELIMS EXAM

Biopsychology

The scientific study of the biology of behavior. It is also the study of the physiological, evolutionary, and developmental mechanisms of behavior and experience. The goal is to relate biology to issues of psychology.

The 4 goals of psychology are:

1. Describe

2. Explain

3. Predict

4. Control

Implications of Biopsychology

We think and act as we do because of brain mechanisms, and that we evolved those brain mechanisms because ancient animals built this way survived and reproduced.

Biological Explanations

1. Physiological explanation

2. Ontogenetic explanation

3. Evolutionary explanation

4. Functional explanation

Physiological Explanation

Relates to a behavior to the activity of the brain and other organs.

Ontogenetic Explanation

Describes how a structure or behavior develops, including the influences of genes, nutrition, experiences, and their interactions.

Evolutionary Explanation

Reconstructs the evolutionary history of a structure or behavior.

Functional Explanation

Describes why a structure or behavior evolved as it did.